Spreading gravel

[picker77]

I maintain about 800' of private lane for me and two neighbors. Last time I had gravel delivered it came in a pair of belly-dump semis, and they laid the gravel down in two very long skinny piles by cracking the belly doors part way and driving slowly away. Except for a bit of a dicey balancing act on top of the piles to shear off the top of the piles with the box blade (go very slow and watch the steering!), those long continuous piles made spreading a piece of cake, and I was done in two or three hours.

Yesterday, when 52 tons of crusher run arrived in two trucks from the same outfit, they had upgraded to brand new Peterbilt tractors (nice trucks, btw) with end gate trailers instead of belly dumps. I asked if they could crack the end gate, partially elevate the bed, and spread the gravel by driving slow like tandem axle dumpers can do. No such luck, they considered that too dangerous (rollover concerns), so instead dumped it in a seemingly endless series of piles about 30' apart the entire length of the lane. There were 20+ piles. The before photo shows a few of them. Spreading from piles like this was much more time consuming--but probably somewhat safer--than the old way. Had to put six hours on the 3032E's meter and a serious crick in my neck, but it's pretty much done except for some minor smoothing to do later after it packs down a little from rain and traffic. And as a bonus the lane has a decent crown again.

Having Top and Tilt made a world of difference in repairing the crown of this lane. This job gave the loader and box blade their first serious workouts since new, and the JD 3032E performed in stellar fashion.

 

[yooper1]

Looks good.

One way to look at the 6 hours needed to get it done is to say you got 6 hours of seat time, and everyone knows any seat time is good seat time

 

[wedge40]

I asked if they could crack the end gate, partially elevate the bed, and spread the gravel by driving slow like tandem axle dumpers can do. No such luck, they considered that too dangerous (rollover concerns), so instead dumped it in a seemingly endless series of piles about 30' apart the entire length of the lane.

I'm no expert, but roll over concern? Your driveway looks pretty straight and flat to me.

Wedge

 

[tcartwri]

The drivers had no clue what they were doing then. The last two loads of gravel I had put down, I didn't have to touch except with a rake at the very end of the run where there was a very small hump.

 

[RadarTech]

The drivers had no clue what they were doing then. The last two loads of gravel I had put down, I didn't have to touch except with a rake at the very end of the run where there was a very small hump.

I agree... I have seen this same thing done on 3% grades.. And he did it quick....

 

[Johnbro]

The drivers had no clue what they were doing then.

+1

Our gravel guy routinely "spreads" with his rear dump by cracking the tailgate and driving slowly forward, gradually lifting the bed. It's a lot easier to work with then big piles, that's for sure!

Nice work, BTW. Now if you had a roller you could really lock it down...

 

[jinman]

Nice job on your spreading, but I think I would have told them after the first load that I would get the rest delivered with a bobtail and pup or belly-dump. They make their money on how many loads they can haul in one day and big piles is quicker for them to get dumped and back on the road.

 

[Runner]

The way it was explained to me, particularly with crusher run, they are mostly concerned with the truck tipping backwards. I have seen drivers very reluctant or simply refuse to spread crusher run if it was the lest bit wet.

Larger crushed rock doesn't seem to be as much of a concern, presumably because it doesn't stick together and to the inside of the truck quite as bad.

 

[picker77]

Yes, the concern they explained--which made sense to me--was having a large "stuck" clump of wet stuff at the front suddenly turn loose while the bed was high up. 10 or 12 tons of wet gravel suddenly sliding down a 45 degree slope and hitting the tailgate of a bed that's already 30 feet in the air (these were full length semi trailers) would provide some excitement, I'm sure. They might not have that same concern with a load of 2"-3" coarse gravel, but they sure were careful handling this crusher run, which does tend to be sticky when a bit wet because of all the fines in it.

 

[harpoonalt]

Dump spreading can be done, but it can be dangerous. If the rock hangs up while they are lifting, the whole load can shift to the back of the trailer at once and cause the front to come right off the ground. A friend had a load delivered in a regular dump and the driver forgot to unlatch the gate. It all shifted at once and the front end of the truck went right up in the air and stayed there. Must have been quite a ride Nice job on the road!

 

[tglass]

The drivers were right as a trailer type of dump will turn over easily even on hard ground and without moving. Sideways. I've seen it happen. Usually the problem is when ordered the customers do not mention they want it spread or and more important the salesman doesn't ask. At the loading point the first two trucks in to deliver the material on time to the location are loaded unless specified. I personally hold the biggest share of the blame to the salesman because he did not ask the customer in the first place. I deal with this type of problem daily, and when provided with a phone number I try to have the driver call the customer to let him know he is on the way, where he wants to dump it or spread etc.. If it is a personal address I would think the salesman would find out the dump point.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Very nice job. I bet you were a lot more efficient spreading the last pile than you were the first. Nothing like a big job to enhance and hone your operating skills.
If it were mine I would pack it and regrade it a couple times before I let the rain get at it otherwise the places where your CR is deepest will end up as hollows and you will have to do it over anyway. On mine if I dont do this the wheel ruts and pot holes just reappear when the CR settles and packs.

 

[rimshot]

The 20 piles distributed along the road would have worked for me. Since I don't have a box or grader blade I would have been forced to use the FEL bucket and float after spreading it with FEL while backing. I have been actually accomplishing this in an effort to fix up a road of mine. It came out excellent.


bs5

 

[ctgoldwing]

The drivers had no clue what they were doing then. The last two loads of gravel I had put down, I didn't have to touch except with a rake at the very end of the run where there was a very small hump.

+2

The last two loads I had delivered the driver 'spread' it by slowly tilting & driving forward. My driveway is neither staright nor flat but the driver had no problem.

 

[Chilly807]

:laughing: I'm just the opposite. When I had some class "A" delivered this spring the driver asked me if I wanted it spread out. I said, "No, I need a little practice with the tractor anyway.." A few hours later I was done and happy as a clam.

Sean

 

[picker77]

If it were mine I would pack it and regrade it a couple times before I let the rain get at it

The important thing here was to get a crown back on this road and get runoff water flowing toward the borrow ditches instead of down the same two ruts people seem to insist on driving in. As for packing and regrading, I'll go over it again several times in the next few weeks, but the packing has to come from the half dozen or so vehicles that use it several times daily. I've noticed people are weird about their driving habits on rural roads. I've tried numerous times to educate the neighbors to please NOT drive in the exact same wheel tracks every time they go out/in, but it doesn't seem to take. In fact, many times I've seen one guy's wife center punch a small mud hole on an otherwise 16' wide dry gravel road every time she goes in or out, just because the mud hole happens to be right in the middle of one of the grooves she's bound and determined to drive in. Heaven forbid she drive on any of that clean solid gravel for three feet either side of the hole. I just grit my teeth and go out there and clean it up again, lol.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I maintain about 800' of private lane for me and two neighbors. Last time I had gravel delivered it came in a pair of belly-dump semis, and they laid the gravel down in two very long skinny piles by cracking the belly doors part way and driving slowly away. Except for a bit of a dicey balancing act on top of the piles to shear off the top of the piles with the box blade (go very slow and watch the steering!), those long continuous piles made spreading a piece of cake, and I was done in two or three hours.

Yesterday, when 52 tons of crusher run arrived in two trucks from the same outfit, they had upgraded to brand new Peterbilt tractors (nice trucks, btw) with end gate trailers instead of belly dumps. I asked if they could crack the end gate, partially elevate the bed, and spread the gravel by driving slow like tandem axle dumpers can do. No such luck, they considered that too dangerous (rollover concerns), so instead dumped it in a seemingly endless series of piles about 30' apart the entire length of the lane. There were 20+ piles. The before photo shows a few of them. Spreading from piles like this was much more time consuming--but probably somewhat safer--than the old way. Had to put six hours on the 3032E's meter and a serious crick in my neck, but it's pretty much done except for some minor smoothing to do later after it packs down a little from rain and traffic. And as a bonus the lane has a decent crown again.

Having Top and Tilt made a world of difference in repairing the crown of this lane. This job gave the loader and box blade their first serious workouts since new, and the JD 3032E performed in stellar fashion.

Nice!!! It looks like you did a good job. :thumbsup:

 

[Gordon Gould]

I've noticed people are weird about their driving habits on rural roads. I've tried numerous times to educate the neighbors to please NOT drive in the exact same wheel tracks every time they go out/in, but it doesn't seem to take. In fact, many times I've seen one guy's wife center punch a small mud hole on an otherwise 16' wide dry gravel road every time she goes in or out, just because the mud hole happens to be right in the middle of one of the grooves she's bound and determined to drive in. Heaven forbid she drive on any of that clean solid gravel for three feet either side of the hole. I just grit my teeth and go out there and clean it up again, lol.

I have the same problem with the two other families that use the lower end of my road. They just dont comprehend that driving through a puddle at 25 or30 mph is what makes it into a pothole.

 

[JoeL4330]

I've found that when I order, I stipulate that it be "tailgate spread" and that's just what they do...I only need tell them to put down a thick or a thin layer, which they adjust with the tailgate chains.

 

[Sackett2]

I have a B-I-L that is a biggie at one of the quarries. I asked him for some rock; and Thursday he called said he had a "end-dump" going to my house with some "open rock" I told him to "block my truck in" with a pile of rock. Came home that night and started putting this bigger rock into the pot holes and the parking area by the carport.
This Morning He called and said "I got a transport coming down with 3/4 minus, where do you want it?" 45 minutes later he showed up, poured the first load 1/2 way down the driveway; did the second load the rest of the way. Letting it pack in, then will regrade is some tomorrow. That driver left a nice even spread down that driveway, I was disappointed I didn't need to use the tractor...

BTW, my cost; zero-- I think we will buy them a dinner at a favorite restaurant.